1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to apparatus for and methods of treating soil contaminated with such substances as oil and certain related chemicals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A particularly difficult problem to solve is how to clean up and sanitize soil that has been contaminated by oil spills and related materials that easily contaminate but are difficult to dislodge or separate from the soil and render the soil unacceptable for further use.
Presently known examples of apparatus for and methods of decontaminating soil that has been contaminated by impurities are found in 4,402,274 of Sept. 3, 1983; 4,685,220 of Aug. 11, 1987; and 4,699,721 of Oct. 13, 1987. In these examples it is apparent that complicated apparatus has evolved at some expense, and the methods developed by such apparatus requires many steps to complete.
Other examples of apparatus that have evolved to process contaminated soil material are represented by 4,593,477 of June 10, 1986; 4,608,944 of Sept. 2 1986; 4,628,838 of Dec. 16, 1986; 4,646,637 of Mar. 3, 1987; and 4,671,251 of June 9, 1987.